'Thousands' of dangerous animals kept as pets in UK homes

Lions, wolves and deadly venomous snakes are among thousands of dangerous animals being kept on private properties across the UK, figures have revealed.

Big cats including 13 tigers, two lions, eight leopards, seven cheetahs and nine pumas are prowling behind the fences of addresses up and down the land, an investigation has found.

Hundreds of poisonous snakes are also being kept, including more than 300 killer cobras, vipers and rattlesnakes.

And lurking beneath the waters of domestic enclosures are 10 alligators, nine crocodiles and 17 caimans - a smaller member of the crocodile family.

We are deeply concerned about the number of exotic animals, including dangerous wild animals, now being kept as pets.RSPCA spokesperson

More than 100 councils have given people licences to keep a host of deadly predators, with some keeping a variety of different species at their homes.

Animal welfare experts condemned the findings of the investigation, carried out by the Press Association, saying it was "deeply concerned" at the numbers and that animal welfare was being put at risk.

The data was obtained from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to every council in the UK, of which 363 replied. In Northern Ireland, the Environment Agency provided the figures for the whole country.

Dangerous wild animals (DWA) licences are granted by councils to allow people to keep undomesticated animals as pets, provided they have the requisite safety measures at their home and pay a small fee.

Iain Newby, who has held a DWA licence for more than two decades, has warned prospective owners to ensure they properly educate themselves before purchasing a predator.

Iain Newby at his home in Great Wakering, EssexCredit:
PA/PA

Starting with an 8ft alligator called Rolex in the 1990s, to a house full of wild cats such as servals and Savannahs in 2016, the 49-year-old has helped care for a wide variety of creatures through rescue work.

The FOI findings revealed that several major cities, including London, Swansea, Stoke, Sheffield, Hull and Portsmouth, were home to unconventional menageries.

Among the more exotic areas is Cornwall, where the council has issued licences for pumas, lynxes, ocelots, lemurs, vipers, ostriches and an assortment of wild cats.

The RSPCA said it was concerned that licences too often focus on protecting the public from harm, rather than on the well-being of the animals themselves.

A spokeswoman said: "We are deeply concerned about the number of exotic animals, including dangerous wild animals, now being kept as pets. People may buy them with little idea of how difficult they can be to keep and the animals are sometimes neglected when the novelty wears off and the commitment hits home. This is why we would encourage anyone thinking of getting an exotic pet to find out as much as possible about the animal's needs and whether they're a realistic pet."

She added: "Licences for exotic animals classed as Dangerous Wild Animals - such as cobras, ostriches and caiman crocodiles - are granted by local authorities and the details are also held locally. There is no centrally-held list to determine how many are kept across the country. The emphasis of this legislation is on making sure the owner takes reasonable steps to prevent the animal from being a threat to the public, rather than the welfare of the animals concerned.”

Meanwhile, Mr Newby, who runs a rescue facility for dangerous animals in Essex, said some people were guilty of getting the pets for the wrong reasons.

"I know people who keep crocodiles and alligators and they keep them perfectly, but I also know people who keep a hamster and never clean it out,” he said.

"People who get licences and treat their animals responsibly deserve it.”